Ricerc@Sapienza

The project aims to propose high quality plant foods and beverages (PF/B) to young Caucasian female and male obese adults within personalized hypocaloric diets and appropriate physical training (PT). This pilot study will lead to a precise identification of PF/B useful for a proper lifestyle program able to improve health status of young obese adults. To address the objective, the project involves researchers with complementary and interdisciplinary expertise. The choice of PF/B to be included in the nutritional intervention will be done on the basis of their nutritional and phytochemical profile. PF/B profile will be investigated through a multi-methodological approach consisting of targeted and untargeted analyses to obtain a comprehensive metabolite composition.
The role of bioactive components will be tested by means of chemical and biological assays, in terms of antioxidant and chelating activity, selective inhibition of enzymes involved, safety and tolerability in in vitro cell lines experimental model.
A clinical study will be conducted including a cross-sectional and an interventional arm. Young Caucasian female and male obese and control normal body weight (BW) young adults will be enrolled. The investigation of specific parameters of obese and control subjects, before and after intervention with personalized PF/B based diets and PT, will allow to identify responder and non-responder obese subjects to the proposed life-style modifications and to verify possible gender-specific changes.
In summary, the proposed pilot study will include the following phases: 1) selection of proper PF/B; 2) determination of PF/B phytochemical profile by means of a multi-methodological approach, 3) cross-sectional plus interventional clinical study enrolling obese and normal BW young adults of both genders, 4) preparation of personalized diets including proper serving/day of PF/B and PT, 5) evaluation of the effects of the proposed diet and PT by means of specific parameters.